Chirodactylus brachydactylus

Chirodactylus brachydactylus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Centrarchiformes
Family: Cheilodactylidae
Genus: Chirodactylus
Species:
C. brachydactylus
Binomial name
Chirodactylus brachydactylus
(Cuvier, 1830)
Twotone fingerfin on MV Orotava wreck in False Bay

Chirodactylus brachydactylus, the twotone fingerfin, is a species of marine fish in the fingerfin (morwongs) family (family Cheilodactylidae) of order Perciformes. It is native to the coast of southern Africa.[1][2]

Distribution

Along the coast of southern Africa from Walvis Bay to Maputo.[1] Subtropical, between 23°S and 36°S in eastern Atlantic and western Indian oceans.[3]

Description

Body colour basically brown, paler on ventral side, with a brighter white area below the eyes in the front part of the body, and a row of five white spots along the lateral line. Juveniles are silvery with orange anal and paired fins. Colour changes to adult colouration from about 5 cm. The fish has fleshy lips around a small mouth. Length up to 40 cm, weight up to 3 kg. Matures at 25 cm, and spawns in summer.[1][4][5]

Habitat and ecology

Rocky reefs and sandy areas near reefs at depths to 240 m. Juveniles may be found in rock pools.[1] C. brachydactylus is a small-benthic-invertebrate predator, There is some dietary overlap between the species assembages of the reef predators, in which this fish occurs, but each appears to have a dietary niche which reduces interspecific competition for food.[6] Its diet includes crabs, anphipods, bivalves and other invertebrates.[4] C. brachydactylis is preyed upon by large reef predators, including the santer seabream, (Cheimerius nufar), red steenbras (Petrus rupestris), scotsman (Polysteganus praeorbitalis), and yellowbelly rockcod (Epinephelus marginatus).[7]

Importance to humans

Does not often take a hook, but relatively easily caught spearfishing.[1]

Conservation status

Not evaluated. [3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Heemstra, Phil; Heemstra, Elaine (2004). Coastal fishes of Southern Africa. Grahamstown: NISC and SAIAB. ISBN 1-920033--01-7.
  2. ^ Smith, J.L.B. (1977). Smith's sea fishes. Cape Town: Valiant publishers. ISBN 0-86884-029-7.
  3. ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Chirodactylus brachydactylus". FishBase. August 2023 version.
  4. ^ a b Jones, Georgina (2008). A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. Cape Town: SURG. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9.
  5. ^ Branch, G.M.; Branch, M.L.; Griffiths, C.L.; Beckley, L.E. (2010). Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa (2nd ed.). Cape Town: Struik Nature. ISBN 978-1-77007-772-0.
  6. ^ Lechanteur, Y.A.R.G.; Griffiths, C.L. (2003). "Diets of common suprabenthic reef fish in False Bay, South Africa". African Zoology. 38: 213–227.
  7. ^ Smale, M.J. (1986). "The feeding biology of four predatory reef fishes off the south-eastern Cape coast, South Africa". S.-Afr. Tydskr. Dierk. 21 (2).